Surely, repeating this school year is the only way?

[YardleyX]

In what world would it ever have been thought an option to just finish school for the year in March, and then carry on to the next year as though nothing’s happened?!??

Some schools have worked exceptionally hard to continue educating during the pandemic, but official line from the government is that the “curriculum is suspended”.

Therefore, unless the entire curriculum is being re-written, all the way up to and including A level, how can there possibly be an expectation for every child in the country to just ‘move on’ in September?

Year 11 and Year 13 could move on. Impact would therefore be no schools have a Year 11 this year, and some provision needs to be made in order to accommodate this years Reception intake.

Hardly ideal, but better than an entire generation of children falling so far behind, and in lots of cases probably never catching up.

Considering the latest figures show children seemingly are more likely to be hot by lightning than die of Covid, it's bloody ridiculous. Shield those kids and staff who need shielding but otherwise I'm sure schools have the common sense even if some parents don't to send any child coughing or unwell home. Perhaps if the usual "treat school like free childcare" parents who are likely to ignore symptoms because they do the same with D&V are threatened with a fine if they send asymptotic child in, it will put them off.

I'm personally sending DD (13) in for two days a week from Thursday. I know how lucky we are to have a school which will somewhat bend the rules to allow her to come in, she is not an EHCP kid or a keyworker kid, but we've all agreed that this is having an appalling effect on her educationally and emotionally. She is becoming more and more isolated as the time has gone on and whereas her younger sibling has set up a discord and speaks almost constantly with his small group of mates, she has barely bothered. She doesn't do any work no matter how much I tell her off or offer rewards. She needs structure and she desperately needs social interaction or I genuinely worry about her, she was struggling as it was.

If they don't go back until January (which was voiced this week) it will ruin some kids. Obviously some are fine at working from home but many aren't, and many don't have the resources available to be.
Why should a generation of our children suffer due to the actions of adults many, many miles removed from them? Has there not already been a huge enough cost to the elderly and unwell?

It’s too expensive and we don’t have space (or money to make more space). I’m not worried, kids in Areas of natural disasters seem to catch up fine as will our kids.

From the NEU

Is there a link to a DfE document officially announcing the suspension of the curriculum? I can't find it, and don't remember seeing it, although I can find various teaching unions stating that it is the case.

kids in Areas of natural disasters seem to catch up fine as will our kids.

but apparently these are NOTHING compared to the hardship faced by the UK for the last couple of months

Really tricky one. No one has the answers to this, I think/hope teachers and parents will try to work together to fill gaps in learning where they can - agree that curriculum is very heavy.
I am amazed teachers get through it all. Its bonkers the amount/level of skills/knowledge that is expected to be imparted in a year. Mad.
I suspect a lot of kids struggle quietly even in normal times.

Personally its been a bonus for us. DS has learning difficulties and has thrived with customised home learning supported by materials from school and elsewhere.

For those who want an idea of yearly outcomes/overview - the whole curriculum is published online. I have it in book form (work in education).

Not saying its not been hard to juggle work/DH work but we have managed. DS is making more progress than if he was at school. Does make me wonder about home ed. which we would have done a while ago had it not been for practical issue of us both being at work during a school day.

@YardleyX

Teachers are miracle workers.

Awesome. I don’t know what anyone is worried about then

We're not miracle workers, no. But it's our job to assess learning, differentiate lessons, put in targeted interventions, etc. That's why many teachers feel they can actually make a difference next academic year. Yes, there'll be an impact, but we'll do our jobs and try to lessen that impact as much as possible. It's what we're trained to do.

If they don't go back until January (which was voiced this week)

was it? Genuine question, my understanding was that schools are now free to chose when and how they proceed with reopening.

They must have been free already, some schools are reopened full time already (for the year groups they were supposed to), others still part time. There's no consistency in this country, that is true.

Haven't read the full thread but would be an even bigger pain in Scotland due to deferral being fairly common. Would mean my step son would not finish secondary school at 19.5 years old

My child is in Year 10 and I am extremely worried about what is going on. It’s all very well people saying they will catch up but she hasn’t got time to catch up. She’s goes to a good school but despite doing the work set she has had no feedback on any work since the end of March. The curriculum in Year 10/11 is crammed, under normal circumstances they would have a very heavy workload anyway. She’s got her mocks in December and she will have missed weeks and weeks of school.
She is going back to school next week for 4 hours a week. This is all the school can cope with under the current social distancing rules. So one year (Year 10) all in school for half a day a week. How on earth are they going to get any other years back? - it’s impossible.

But it's our job to assess learning, differentiate lessons, put in targeted interventions, etc.

THAT is the worry with a blind reopening: smaller groups and not enough teachers (obviously), so small groups taught by TA and other members of staff, who as lovely as they may be, are not professionally trained.

Secondary school: Off go the Year 13s, everyone repeats the year, no one takes A levels in Summer 21. I suppose you could take in the new intake and have a double Year 7 because you wouldn't have a Year 13. But for the next 7 years after that, you'd have a bubble year group needing 5-8 extra classrooms and teachers. School leaving age rises to 19. You'd also have the problem that in Autumn 21 there would be no 1st years at University - financially disastrous.

Same problem at Primary - either we send off the Year 6s and have a double Reception Year group with the consequent need for extra classrooms for the next 6 years, or we keep the Year 6s to repeat and leave the 4 year olds in Nursery for another year, permanently raising the school age by a year and either stopping the 3 year olds from entering Nursery or doubling Nursery provision forever.

For any of these to work, we'd need an entire cohort's worth of new classrooms at every school. And the teachers to teach them.

@Homemadeandfromscratch

But it's our job to assess learning, differentiate lessons, put in targeted interventions, etc.

THAT is the worry with a blind reopening: smaller groups and not enough teachers (obviously), so small groups taught by TA and other members of staff, who as lovely as they may be, are not professionally trained.

Many interventions in schools are run by TAs. Pupils are identified by the teacher and targets/work given to the TA. Even if TAs are taking bubbles on their own, the children will have work planned and assessed by a teacher.

What a load of old bollocks.

Do people not understand that teachers are used to teaching children with a massive range of prior knowledge and ability in one class.

Children don't arrive in any year group with a set amount of knowlege or skills.

When I taught secondary English I had mixed ability year 7 classes with children reading at undergraduate level and children who couldn't write their names, and everyone in between.

Children coming in from different primaries also hid wildly different skills sets, and not the way you'd expect - usually the primaries who churned out the best SATS results had the poorest overall skill sets, especially for weaker children who'd been exclusively coached to the the test for the last year or longer.

It'll just be like getting a slightly weaker year group through, and they will catch up. Those with exams next year are in the greatest danger. Anyone below year 9 is fine.

Kingscote Not to mention what would you get Year 11s to repeat? GCSEs that they already have results for?

SallyLovesCheese
but how hard will it be when the teachers are not even allowed to see half of 2/3 of the class. I am sure it won't be easy.

@YerAWizardHarry - I thought deferrals usually meant that kids were maximum 6 when they started school. 7 years of primary and 6 of secondary would make them 18 when they finished. I'm probably missing something - how would he be 19.5? I've never taught a "child" that old. Theoretically, he could be the same age as a student teacher taking his class!

How about instead of trying to repeat a year the government invests more resources in our schools and enables them to take on more teaching staff/TAs to concentrate on the children that will be behind.

I’ve worked my arse off to teach my seven year old at home. To my mental detriment. He will be in year 3 come September (assuming they’re back then ) and will absolutely not be behind. Potentially he’ll be ahead in some areas.

Judging from a recent full class Zoom meeting I would say over half of those kids, probably more like 80% will be in a position to continue unhindered come September. Yes there will be some children who’ll be more behind than they were already in March, and those children deserve the sole attention of the TAs.

I’m not worried about it in terms of education. I do think it’s terrible for kids with a horrible home life who need school for stability and support, and it’s also a massive pain for me because it’s so hard to work - but in terms of education, what are they missing? Mostly a lot of content they don’t need. I don’t need anything I learned at school except the basics, and nor do most people. If you need specific knowledge for your job, you get that at university, training or on the job.

Of course some kids have exams but I’d just set the exams to cover what they have learned, and/or adjust the results.

At school, IMO the value of “education” is in learning how to take in and process information, express yourself in writing, get enough number skills to handle adult life, and learn social skills. Even then many schools fail at these for a lot of kids. The other important aspect is discovering a range of topics and disciplines so you can find out what you like and want to pursue - losing 6 months doesn’t change that.

Not that I’m happy about it, for the other reasons above but I’m amazed people think missing particular content will affect people in the long run. There are people who take their kids out of school for a year to go round the world. There are people who homeschool and don’t cover all the same content at all. No one seems to think they’re missing out.

*@Theonlylivingboyinnewcross

I am a teacher and my students have been continuing with the courses throughout lockdown. They are more or less where they should be at the moment. They and their parents would be furious if they were compelled to repeat the whole year, I would think.

Similarly, DS has continued with his lessons throughout, as have all the children in his school.*

Well, jolly good for you.

Meanwhile, let’s just let the rest of the children who haven’t been so lucky scrabble in the gutter shall we? Maybe they could shine your kids shoes whilst they’re down there?

@Homemadeandfromscratch

If they don't go back until January (which was voiced this week)

was it? Genuine question, my understanding was that schools are now free to chose when and how they proceed with reopening.

They must have been free already, some schools are reopened full time already (for the year groups they were supposed to), others still part time. There's no consistency in this country, that is true.

There are plenty of links of you Google but here's one specific one www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/secondary-schools-might-not-fully-22151376

JoysOfString
perfectly written!

@RedskyAtnight Year 11s can.......

Start prep for their chosen A levels, plus 2 more just in case they like them better.

Lots of sport and fitness, including taking the Assistant coach badge in at least one team sport - could also then support Primary PE.
Extra Food Tech.
Life skills - banking / voting / driving theory / childcare
Summer term (when most will be 16 and a half plus) head off to Pick for Britain before returning tanned fit and refreshed to start their Year 12 courses.

@murraythedenomictalkingskull, as of right now be will turn 18 in the January and finish school mid way through the year at 18.5 years old. If they decide that everyone has to resit the school year this will push everything back making him (and lots others) 19.5.

justanotherneighinparadise in some areas this is normal. In some classes children have been working and learning new material.

The school closures endanger children from deprived backgrounds and exaggerate the already existant opportunity gaps. This is what should be the focus of concern, not wholesale repeating of an entire year of content. It's in many ways fairly cooincidental what is taught content wise, and skill aquisition is gradual.

It is completely untrue that whole year groups will be "behind" - behind what anyway? Children are never ever anywhere near all at the same standard with matching knowledge and skills sets entering a new school year.